title: Veterans' attitudes to influenza vaccination in the setting of shortage of vaccine, 2004-2005.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To inform strategies for vaccinating elderly veterans, the objectives were to determine the proportion of veterans > or =65 years old vaccinated against influenza during the 2004-05 vaccine-shortage, the place they received vaccine, the reasons why they were/were not vaccinated and their attitudes to the shortage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 682 respondents, 87% were vaccinated during 2004-05. More participants received vaccine at the Veterans' Administration hospital than previously (67% vs. 57%, p < 0.0001). Only 28% perceived themselves as being at high risk from influenza even though all participants met > or =1 high-risk criteria. Among unvaccinated participants, 21% were unvaccinated so that someone else could have their dose ("altruism"). For 61%, the shortage led to feeling heightened urgency for vaccination; those participants were more apt to be vaccinated (96% v. 77%, p < 0.001). Of those not vaccinated during the previous season, only 20% reported feeling urgency associated with the shortage, versus 65% of those vaccinated previously (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey-questionnaire mailed to a random sample of veterans > or =65 years-old. The questionnaire was derived from qualitative interviews during December 2004.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The climate of shortage led to a heightened sense of urgency for vaccination that was most prominent among veterans who were vaccinated in the past. It also may have led to vaccination for a small proportion not previously vaccinated against influenza. In contrast, other elderly veterans may have been motivated to avoid vaccination for altruistic reasons or because of confusion about their risk-status. Outreach and communication about vaccination should target both those who may feel urgency to be vaccinated as well as those who may inappropriately avoid vaccination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. andrea.benin@ynhh.org
authors.forename: Andrea L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Benin
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Learsy-Cahill
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kancir
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Martinello
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014728:Veterans
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines